5 OLBs to Give Broncos' Pass Rush a Shot in the Arm

The Broncos need more help with their edge room and it could be hard to find one later in the draft, but one of these five edges could be an option.

Author:
Lance Sanderson
Apr 04, 2024

In this story:

Denver Broncos

Eyabi Okie-Anoma

Mohamed Kamara

Jonah Elliss

Javon Solomon

Cedric Johnson

Last season, the Denver Broncos were amongst the league’s worst teams when pressuring the quarterback without blitzing, primarily due to the lack of high-end talent at the edge position. This isn’t a slight on guys like Baron Browning, Jonathan Cooper, and Nik Bonitto – who are all talented players in their own right – but more of an observation that the team doesn’t possess a true game-changer at the position and hasn’t since Von Miller was traded to Los Angeles a handful of years ago.

This year’s draft class may not feature a true “Batman” at the position outside of Alabama’s Dallas Turner, but the depth of the edge group is solid, and there is a lot of potential to be had later in the class.

undefined — Oct 15, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Eyabi Okie-Anoma | Charlotte

Pros:

Long, tall, and thick in his lower half, Okie-Anoma is a raw and athletic specimen that is very explosive coming out of his stance. He shows good power as a pass rusher, flashes strong and accurate hands, and plays with good leverage to forklift tackles and drives them backward. He is strong enough to anchor against the run and set a quality edge, though some technical refinement is needed to release and make plays on the ball. His upside is incredible thanks to his natural athletic ability and size, making him a quality addition as a rotational backup early with upside to start.

Cons:

Okie-Anoma has been a headache for a couple of different programs with character concerns, and he has played at five different schools in his college career. His rawness causes some issues as his hands get stagnant after first contact, and he doesn’t possess a quality pass-rush plan. There is a severe lack of knee and hip bend, and he is mostly linear as a pass rusher rather than a player who can bend and turn around the arc.

My Grade: 5th Round

Erick Trickel’s Big Board Position: No. 190

Mohamed Kamara | Colorado State

Pros:

Kamara is a highly productive sack artist who finished the 2023 season with the third-most sacks. Twitch, burst, and bend make him a high quality option as a speed rusher coming around the arc, and he uses his active hands to neutralize blockers and keep them out of his chest plate. He is more of a slicer than a power player as a run defender, and he has enough lateral agility to chain moves together to get after the quarterback.

Cons:

Kamara lacks mass and length and is easily bullied on the edge as a run defender. Longer blockers lock him up quickly, and there needs to be more strength in his lower half to wall and stall. While incredibly productive, Kamara saw a considerable dip in his effectiveness against higher-quality opponents. He can get run around the pocket as he bends the arc and cannot separate when blockers get latched on. There is also a sense of over-aggression in his game that shows him getting out of control and missing tackles in open space.

My Grade: 5th Round

Trickel’s Big Board Position: No. 208

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Javon Solomon | Troy

Pros:

Solomon, an explosive and twitched-up pass rusher, has a great first step in putting tackles in conflict and ripping off several counter moves. He has good length for the position and active hands, including a nasty club-rip move to open angles to the inside. His game has a natural bend, and he is ferocious coming around the arc, showing good ankle flexibility and balance as he explodes to the quarterback. Pass rush plans flash frequently, and it is easy to see when he chains moves together.

Cons:

Though Solomon has long enough arms, he lacks size and power in his game and gets eaten alive by longer and stronger tackles. He isn’t a firm edge setter in the running game and is often moved off his spot. Pad-level consistencies coming out of his three- and four-point stance arise because his hands and feet are too close together, which can cause him to get washed out too quickly.

My Grade: 5th Round

Trickel’s Big Board Position: No. 179

Jonah Elliss | Utah

Pros:

A prototypical 7-technique defensive end with length and power, Elliss is a linear pass rusher who wins with leverage and a nice inside spin move. Hustle and determination are the name of the game for Elliss, and he rarely runs out of gas, if ever. His hands could be more accurate, but they are active and constantly working to keep blockers at bay and separate to make plays.

Cons:

Elliss looks great in his upper half but lacks mass and strength in his lower half. He is very choppy as a mover, lacks athleticism in explosiveness and lateral agility, and his hips are very stiff. Knee and hip bend are practically non-existent on his tape, and if Elliss doesn’t win with his bull rush or spin move, he gets locked up and put away relatively easily.

My Grade: 6th round

Trickel’s Big Board Position: No. 149

Cedric Johnson | Ole Miss

Pros:

Johnson is a thick, powerful player that passes the eye test. He has good length and is a solid player overall. Technically, he is very sound, plays with good bend and hand placement, and has enough power to become a high-quality run-stuffing edge defender at the NFL level. As a pass rusher, he has some ability to drive the pocket as he sinks his hips very well.

Cons:

Lower-half athleticism is a major concern. Burst, twitch, and explosiveness do not appear often, if at all. He is very linear, lacks a pass-rush plan and counter moves, and doesn’t separate from blockers fast enough at the point of attack. While he sets a firm wall and does well to latch to blockers and keep them from climbing to the next level, he relies upon linebackers and cornerbacks to do the dirty work and finish plays.

My Grade: 7th Round

Trickel’s Big Board Position: No. 229

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